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One of the aspects of Stoicism is the belief that people are meant to work together. People are prone to develop community for mutual support. In other words people are of one universal mind to make collective progress.

The sun appears to be poured down and indeed is poured in every direction but not poured out. For this pouring is extension, and so its beams are called rays from their being extended. Now you may see what kind of thing a ray is by observing the sun’s light streaming through a chink into a darkened room. For it is stretched in a straight line, and rests so to speak upon any solid body that meets it and cuts off the flow of air beyond. It rests there and does not glide off or fall. The pouring and diffusion of the understanding then should be similar, in no way a pouring out, but an extension, and it should not rest forcibly or violently on obstacles that meet it nor yet fall down, but stand still and illuminate the object that receives it; for that which does not reflect it will rob itself of the light. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.57.

One example in the ancient world could be the distribution of grain to the populace of the Roman Empire. This is also referred to as the Cura Annonae. It may seem like a romanticized effort of goodwill for the masses. But there was a practical and political aspect as well.

It’s the rule of nature that an increase in population leads to a rise in demand for foodstuffs. In the most historical periods in the city of Rome i.e., the Roman Republic and the Empire, the city’s population increased drastically to around one million people in the 2^nd century AD. Population growth pushed the rural production to the limit, and they were no longer able to meet the demand for food in the city.

To protect its citizens from starvation, the Roman government intervened to distribute free and subsidized food to its population. The government’s mission to protect its population from starvation was described by the term Cura Annonae an Italian word that translates to “care for grains” in English. The term Cura Annonae had a religious attachment coined and developed in honor of a Roman god Annona. Through regular and predictable grain supply, the Roman leadership maintained tranquility to its restive urban population.

The common form of grain was the durum wheat, which was mainly shipped from the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, Egypt, and countries in North Africa such as Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria. With the inclusion of Egypt into the Roman Empire under the rule of Emperor Augustus (27BCE-14CE), Egypt became the main supply of grains to Rome.

The grains were then moved by sea across the Mediterranean Sea, which needed careful and well-laid logistics. The shipment process required hundreds of ships, some huge and extensive for collecting many sacks of grains and distributing them inside Rome. On arrival to Rome, the grains were ground and made into bread, which by then was the most crucial element in the Roman diet. Rome highly depended on the swift arrival of the imported grains, and for that reason, whoever led the supply of grains from Egypt, North Africa, and islands of Sardinia and Sicily had a considerable amount of control over the city of Rome.

A large fleet of Seaworth ships was required to deliver grains from the nearby Sardinia and Sicily islands, more distanced North Africa, and much further Egypt. The distance between the endpoint (Rome) and the three sources is considerably big, which made it cheaper to transport grains from one end of the Mediterranean to the other by ship rather than transport it by land.

To protect the grain ships from piracy, they were escorted by the Roman navy who, besides performing anti-piracy duties, stole considerable portions of the grain imports. Hundreds and in some instances, thousands of ships were required to transport the grains to Rome. The Roman government encouraged the building of large ships for the grain transport where some of the ships could carry up to 350 tons of grains or more. The transportation across the Mediterranean presented several challenges in that the grains had to be kept off moisture to prevent sprouting and infestations by pests. Wet grains could also sink the ship, something that was inevitable because the ships were entirely sailed by sails making them vulnerable to storms. In a nutshell, the voyages from Egypt and the other sources were significantly dangerous.

On arrival to Rome, the distribution of the grains was mainly done in the free markets. Prices were extremely hiked, and traders could count on making profits. Some grains were, however, sold at the market rate. The individuals who received the grains took them to the many small mills in the city to have it grounded into flour. The flour was then either baked at home, communal ovens, or in the numerous bakeries in the city districts.

The hiking of grains prices led to serious political consequences. The poorer in society were forced to survive on one dole of grains per month. Also, the grains were often sold to people who didn’t qualify, which greatly agitated the populace. In response, the populace conducted demonstrations and riots, which impacted the stability of the Roman government. The prices of grains became even further unaffordable when the Roman province of Sicily revolted repeatedly. Later, Roman Emperors would, however, dedicate their leadership to lowering the grain prices to feed the populace. Lowering the grain prices became part of the political platform, and leaders fighting for office used it to win the masses. The political use of the grain supply, together with the gladiator games, gave rise to the saying “Bread and Circuses.” This is as if the Romans only lived on free bread and entertainment!

When considering the universal mind through Stoicism, it is important to understand a practical aspect and the idealized outlook. Having worked in Social Service programs for nearly 30 years I have seen both sides.

In today’s environment with the Coronavirus, unemployment has been extended and distributed due to the Coronavirus. There is the practical side where people need benefits with mass layoffs. But there is a realistic aspect where paying for this may take years after Covid 19 has been dealt with.

To truly reach a universal mind of Stoic principles a genuine effort of cooperation and mutual support. Although based on religious principles Cura Annonae reflected this. But ulterior motives and insincere efforts will only make this concept fall short of what it can truly accomplish for people as a whole.

 There have been many variations of the board game life. One version when I was a kid had two outcomes. The first is you become a millionaire and retire in wealth to a mansion. The second is you lost all your money and retired to a small house as a philosopher.

In a way Seneca the Younger was able to fulfill both. When Seneca wrote his Moral Letters, he was older and semi-retired from the affairs of men. As I am older and nearing retirement myself many of the writings resonate with me.

Growing up the idea of retirement was to work 40 some years get a pension and spend the sunset years in retirement. Retirement is a way of a life and is something that doesn’t usually happen for people until the age of 65. And for others, it happens even later. However, with the more and more 20-somethings looking to join the FIRE movement, that age is changing. Instead of retiring later, people are trying to retire earlier.

            What is the Fire Movement? 

The Fire Movement stands for “Financial Independence, Retire Early.” Essentially, young adults start saving as much money as possible during their 20s and 30s so they can retire in their 40s. They want to spend more time working while they’re at their peak ages so they can spend more time traveling the world, lounging at home, and living their life how they want to.

In retrospect, this seems like a great idea. Why spend more time working than enjoying leisure time exploring the world and hanging out with friends and family. The problem with the Fire Movement, however, is that it’s nearly unattainable. Say a young adult decides to start saving when they finish Grad school at 25. Over the course of 15 years, they’re not going to make an exponential amount of money, nor will they develop a strong enough 401k.

            The Dangers with the Fire Movement 

Everyone knows that those who play will fire will get burned. The Fire Movement may seem promising, but what happens if those who try for it don’t reach their goal savings? And what if they are under budget and have to go into the workforce? A person’s 20s and 30s are meant for enjoying life, learning about oneself, and discovering what it is they want to do. They shouldn’t give that up working too hard in the hopes of retiring early. It’s much easier to live life and save money over a long period of time. Additionally, there are no guarantees that money will last as long as anticipated.

We will look at different ways this movement is not the best route and can be detrimental. I will use select writings by Seneca to try and illustrate this point. Some may say that Seneca may not be the best example as he was one of the wealthiest men in the world at his time. But Seneca faced many trials over his life including exile that are reflected in the writings of his Moral Letters.

            False Expectations 

Would that you had had the privilege of growing old amid the limited circumstances of your origin, and that fortune had not raised you to such heights! You were removed far from the sight of wholesome living by your swift rise to prosperity, by your province, by your position as procurator, and by all that such things promise; you will next acquire more important duties and after them still more. And what will be the result?  Why wait until there is nothing left for you to crave? That time will never come. We hold that there is a succession of causes, from which fate is woven; similarly, you may be sure, there is a succession in our desires; for one begins where its predecessor ends. You have been thrust into an existence which will never of itself put an end to your wretchedness and your slavery. Withdraw your chafed neck from the yoke; it is better that it should be cut off once for all, than galled for ever. Seneca Moral Letter 19.5-6 

Young people romanticize the idea of retiring early. They yearn for the day when they can do whatever they want and not work. Unfortunately, it’s much harder than it looks. The cost of living is rising every year. Even if they save the amount of money they want to, who is to say it will be enough in 20 years time. The Fire Movement promotes a lifestyle that everyone wants, but so few can achieve.

How it Works (and Why it Doesn’t) 

In death there is nothing harmful; for there must exist something to which it is harmful.  And yet, if you are possessed by so great a craving for a longer life, reflect that none of the objects which vanish from our gaze and are re-absorbed into the world of things, from which they have come forth and are soon to come forth again, is annihilated; they merely end their course and do not perish. And death, which we fear and shrink from, merely interrupts life, but does not steal it away; the time will return when we shall be restored to the light of day; and many men would object to this, were they not brought back in forgetfulness of the past. Seneca Moral Letter 36. 9-10 

The idea with the Fire Movement is that the person saving will put away 70% of their paycheck into retirement. The remaining money will be used to pay their bills and for anything else they may need. Sure, this may work for high-class individuals, but not using 70% of a paycheck for people making under six figures or who have families leaves little room for things like rent, groceries, utilities, insurance, and more.

Another thing to consider with this concept are unexpected situations. Cars break down. Phone screens shatter. People get sick and have to pay hospital bills. Every single thing costs money. People cannot survive without it. By putting away so much money, there is nothing left for unexpected accidents. If something like that happens, will the Fire Movement individual take money from their retirement fund to pay for it? And if so, how many times can that happen before they have to defer retirement for a year… and then another… and then another.

Most Fire goals range from the one to two million mark. For others it’s less and for others it’s more. Calculating Fire over a 20 year time at a 70% savings rate, a person would have to make about $72,000 a year. They’d then only have around $20,000 to spend each year. They would be spread very thin, and would likely not be able to live in big cities with high expense rates. Overall, this seems like way too much work and effort to feel free in the future.

            Getting Used to Living Frugally

What, then, do I now encourage you to do? Nothing new – we are not trying to find cures for new evils – but this first of all: namely, to see clearly for yourself what is necessary and what is superfluous. What is necessary will meet you everywhere; what is superfluous has always to be hunted-out – and with great endeavour.  But there is no reason why you should flatter yourself over-much if you despise gilded couches and jewelled furniture. For what virtue lies in despising useless things? The time to admire your own conduct is when you have come to despise the necessities. You are doing no great thing if you can live without royal pomp, if you feel no craving for boars which weigh a thousand pounds, or for flamingo tongues, or for the other absurdities of a luxury that already wearies of game cooked whole, and chooses different bits from separate animals; I shall admire you only when you have learned to scorn even the common sort of bread, when you have made yourself believe that grass grows for the needs of men as well as of cattle, when you have found out that food from the treetop can fill the belly – into which we cram things of value as if it could keep what it has received. We should satisfy our stomachs without being over-nice. How does it matter what the stomach receives, since it must lose whatever it has received? Seneca Moral Letters 110. 11-12 

Once a person gets used to living frugally, they can manage it. However, money management becomes more difficult when they come into large chunks of money. Once a lot of money is saved and it’s time for retirement to start, it will become hard to understand how to use that money and make sure it’s not being spent. The average person lives to be 79 years old. That means anyone wishing to start retirement at 40 probably has another 40 years of life managing the money they saved.

            Fighting Boredom and Lifestyle Changes 

Yet what is more foolish than to wonder that something which may happen every day has happened on any one day? There is indeed a limit fixed for us, just where the remorseless law of Fate has fixed it; but none of us knows how near he is to this limit. Therefore, let us so order our minds as if we had come to the very end. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s account every day. The greatest flaw in life is that it is always imperfect, and that a certain part of it is postponed. One who daily puts the finishing touches to his life is never in want of time. And yet, from this want arise fear and a craving for the future which eats away the mind. There is nothing more wretched than worry over the outcome of future events; as to the amount or the nature of that which remains, our troubled minds are set a-flutter with unaccountable fear. Seneca, Moral Letters 101. 7-8 

Many want to retire early so they can travel, but what happens when life gets in the way? The world is currently in the middle of a pandemic. No one can travel. Additionally, travel costs money– a lot more money than a person can save. There is no way of knowing what will happen in the future. Those wanting to travel would be better suited taking a month or two off every year so they know what their life holds.

Retirement also leads to boredom. Many come out of retirement simply so they can have something to do. Why give up at least a part-time job when so many aspects of life could change? Most everyone else that age is working, so it’s not like that individual could get brunch every morning with their friends or go on extravagant trips with their loved one (unless they retired early, too).

The Fire Movement may seem appealing on paper, but it’s not worth the struggles involved with it. Enjoy the young adult years, get a 401k, and wait to retire. It will feel so much better then. Enjoy life’s journey with its challenges and opportunities. Don’t try to cut corners in living.

Life is most delightful when it is on the downward slope, but has not yet reached the abrupt decline. And I myself believe that the period which stands, so to speak, on the edge of the roof, possesses pleasures of its own. Or else the very fact of our not wanting pleasures has taken the place of the pleasures themselves. How comforting it is to have tired out one’s appetites, and to have done with them!  “But,” you say, “it is a nuisance to be looking death in the face!” Death, however, should be looked in the face by young and old alike. We are not summoned according to our rating on the censor’s list. Moreover, no one is so old that it would be improper for him to hope for another day of existence. And one day, mind you, is a stage on life’s journey. Seneca, Moral Letters 12.5-6

Stoicism is a life long journey. It is a practice of continuous effort to improve. You cannot corners to improve through Stoicism. The same is true of retirement.

The Cynic school of Philosophy had a great influence on Stoicism. Cynics believed that the purpose in life is to live in virtue, in agreement with nature. People can gain fulfillment by rigorous standards of living. The Cynic rejected all manners of living with wealth, power, and fame. Instead lived a simple life free from all possessions.

Stoics also followed the belief that the one true purpose is to be a person of moral character and integrity. The Stoics modified the use of externals in life by looking at things like money and health as indifferents. It is possible to have externals in life but they do not bring a life of virtue.

But what say you, philosopher? The tyrant calls upon you to say something that is unworthy of you. Do you say it, or not say it? Tell me.—Let me think about it.—Think about it now? But what were you thinking about when you were attending lectures? Did you not study the questions, what things are good, and what bad, and what are neither good nor bad?—I did. Epictetus, Discourses 4.1.32

One of the icons of philosophy for Stoics was Diogenes of Sinope. He was a philosopher who lives with nothing on the streets of city-states of Greece. He is famous for telling Alexander the Great to get out of his sun. There is almost a romanticized view of his minimalist life.

But the truth about homelessness today is drastically different. People who face homelessness live a life that is reflected by despair, hopelessness and depression. After years of working with this population, I have found that the reasons for becoming homeless are varied. There are ways to take a mindset of action to prevent oneself from becoming homeless or to climb out of the situation. These are reflected in Stoic philosophy.

What Is Beyond Our Control

Working in Social Services I have seen what happens to people that become homeless. It starts with a situation that triggers a series of circumstances. Someone loses employment. They are unable to pay rent. They are then evicted. The conditions caused by the Coronavirus make this a true reality.

Someone has a health problem is not covered under insurance. They have to pay treatments out of pocket dipping into savings and resources. Some have lost homes because of this.

Situations like this can be overwhelming. But the reason for this sense of overwhelm is not understanding what is in our control and what is not. By knowing what is in our power we can focus on solutions.

Some things are under our control, while others are not under our control. Under our control are conception, choice, desire, aversion, and, in a word, everything that is our own doing; not under our control are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, everything that is not our own doing. Furthermore, the things under our control are by nature free, unhindered, and unimpeded; while the things not under our control are weak, servile, subject to hindrance, and not our own. Remember, therefore, that if what is naturally slavish you think to be free, and what is not your own to be your own, you will be hampered, will grieve, will be in turmoil, and will blame both gods and men; while if you think only what is your own to be your own, and what is not your own to be, as it really is, not your own, then no one will ever be able to exert compulsion upon you, no one will hinder you, you will blame no one, will find fault with no one, will do absolutely nothing against your will, you will have no personal enemy, no one will harm you, for neither is there any harm that can touch you. Enchiridion 1

The Stoic dichotomy of control is not a generic solution  to all problems. It gives a place to start and a rigid mindset of finding ways to overcome obstacles.

Reasoned Choices

I dealing with the homeless there is something that members of the general public find surprising. Some who are homeless want to remain homeless. How is that someone would want to live under these conditions?

People who are homeless can become conditioned to it. It is a lifestyle they have accepted. Many suffer from substance abuse and mental health issues. There are programs that can help individuals overcome homelessness but it requires getting treatment for their afflictions. Many would rather not bother.

This shows the importance of reasoned choices in life. The choices we make directly impacts how we live. Reasoned choices in the present moment can impact what direction we take for the future.

The healthy eye should be able to look at every object of sight, and not to say: ‘I wish it were green’, for this is what a man does who has ophthalmia. The healthy ear and nose must be ready for every object of hearing or smell, and the healthy stomach must be disposed to every kind of nourishment as the mill is ready for everything which it is made to grind. Accordingly the healthy understanding too must be ready for all circumstances; but that which says: ‘may my children be kept safe’ or ‘may all men praise whatever I do’, is the eye looking for green or the teeth for what is tender. Marcus Aurelis, Meditations 10.35

Militant Indifference

All goods, however, ought properly to be free from blame; they are pure, they do not corrupt the spirit, and they do not tempt us. They do, indeed, uplift and broaden the spirit, but without puffing it up. Those things which are goods produce confidence, but riches produce shamelessness. The things which are goods give us greatness of soul, but riches give us arrogance. And arrogance is nothing else than a false show of greatness. Seneca, Moral Letters 87.32

Growing up in the 1980’s everything was bigger than life. Movies were made with crappy dialogue and tons of explosions. Greed and avarice was part of the business culture. Just look at the synopsis of the Movie The Wolf Of Wall Street. Madonna was right when she said she was a material girl in a material world.

Contrast this in recent years where there have been trends to live with less and develop  a minimal lifestyle. Basic amenities and a Spartan lifestyle are how people exist day to day. Even the idea of practicing poverty through Seneca has become hip.

This again shows the power of Stoic indifference. Externals do not bring fulfillment but rather what is on the inside of the individual.

When you get an external impression of some pleasure, guard yourself, as with impressions in general, against being carried away by it; nay, let the matter wait upon your leisure, and give yourself a little delay. Next think of the two periods of time, first, that in which you will enjoy your pleasure, and second, that in which, after the enjoyment is over, you will later repent and revile your own self; and set over against these two periods of time how much joy and self-satisfaction you will get if you refrain. However, if you feel that a suitable occasion has arisen to do the deed, be careful not to allow its enticement, and sweetness, and attractiveness to overcome you; but set over against all this the thought, how much better is the consciousness of having won a victory over it. Enchiridion 34.

With economic conditions presenting challenges for people, it is not out of the ordinary for anyone to worry about becoming homeless. But having the right mindset and living a life of Stoic principles can help in meeting challenges and working on solutions. Government programs like unemployment and rent protection can provide short term solutions. But wisdom brings long term change in times of difficulty.

I want something to overcome, something on which I may test my endurance. For this is another remarkable quality that Sextius possesses: he will show you the grandeur of the happy life and yet will not make you despair of attaining it; you will understand that it is on high, but that it is accessible to him who has the will to seek it. And virtue herself will have the same effect upon you, of making you admire her and yet hope to attain her. In my own case, at any rate the very contemplation of wisdom takes much of my time; I gaze upon her with bewilderment, just as I sometimes gaze upon the firmament itself, which I often behold as if I saw it for the first time. Hence I worship the discoveries of wisdom and their discoverers; to enter, as it were, into the inheritance of many predecessors is a delight. It was for me that they laid up this treasure; it was for me that they toiled. But we should play the part of a careful householder; we should increase what we have inherited. This inheritance shall pass from me to my descendants larger than before. Much still remains to do, and much will always remain, and he who shall be born a thousand ages hence will not be barred from his opportunity of adding something further. Seneca Moral Letters 64.5-7